The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-07

number fifty. These species vary according
to the waters in which they are found, those
of the lakes and streams in the northern part
of the State differing from those in the Ohio
and its tributaries. Classified according to
families, they are the sturgeon family, 2 spe-
cies; the catfish, 9 species; suckers, 8 species;
carp, /; salmons, species; pixies, species;
cells, i; sunfshes, IL species; perches, g
species; sea- bass, 2; Goldfish, /. Some of
these species are practically unknown in
central Indiana, being found only in the
lakes or the Ohio river. The families above
enumerated are food fishes only. Others, not
food fishes, are the lamprey family, 3 species;
the gar-pike family, species, the carp fam
lily, 81 species (chubs dace, sinners min
nows), all the native species being too small to
be of any value as 70 3D. but valuable as bait
and as food for bass, pike and other predatory
fish. The imported carp, large "chub"
from Asia, is the only one of this family that
has economic value. The moon-eye family,
species. handsome fishes, often found in
the markets, but flesh poor and full of bones
the stickleback family, species, very vo-
racious little fishes found only in the waters
of northern Indiana. Most of the game fishes
of the State are included in the sunfish family
(centrarchida). The eleven species in this
family are known by different names in diff
ferent localities. They are the shining
bass, or large-fnned bass: the croppie, new
light or bachelor; the calico bass, grass bass
or strawberry bass; the rock bass, goggle-eye,
red-eye, or lake bass; the war mouth the
green sunfsh; the long cared sunfsh, red
belled Dream; the blue sunfsh; the common
sunfsh, pumpkin seed, sunny; the
large-mouthed black bass; the small
mouthed black bass. All these are more or
less game fish and good fishes. Some of the
varieties too small for anything but pan
fish, though possessing a fine favor. The
two leading species of this family the
large-mouthed and the small-mouthed black
bass. The former is distinguished by its
large mouth and comparatively large scales.
It is more sluggish than the small mouthed
and is more frequently found in still waters
and ponds. 1t reaches length of one to two
and half feet and nay;-1 UNI weight Of
six to eight pounds. Probably the gamiest
fiji in Indiana waters is the small mouthed
black bass, which is distinguished from the
large-mouthed by its smaller mouth and
scales. 1t frequents clea, waters, especially
those with some current, and is averse to
mud. 1t is much less frequently found in
ponds than the large -mouthed bass. DIR.
Henshall, the champion of black bass fishing.
places the two species higher as game fishes
have no trout, and where the black bass has
of necessity prominence, we well afford
to accept his verdict. AS table fishes, how
ever, the trout, well the white fishes,
and perhaps the pike and the channel cat
also, certainly superior to the black bass.
AS to the relative merits of the two species,
Dr. Henshall, in his "Book of the Black
Bass" remarks: tThe small mouthed black
bass is thought by some to be gamier fish
than the large mouthed variety; indeed, 1
have sometimes thought so myself. But this
notion, like the gustatory superiority of the
canvas back among ducks or the exquisite
ambrosial favor of Veuve Cliquot among
wines, exists more in imagination than in
reality. Both varieties of the black bass are
equally good as game fish, and equally good
for the table"
It will be noticed that DR.. Henshall ques-
tons whether the small mouthed black bass
is ganier fish than his large mouthed broth
er. Possibly not; four or fve-pound fish
of either variety at the end of seventy-fve
a hundred feet of line will furnish the angler
sufficient occupation to handle him.